First solo overseas travel with food allergies

Hi, my name is Grace and I am at risk of anaphylaxis to dairy, eggs, tree nuts (excluding almonds and macadamia), sesame, kiwi fruit and some seafood.

When I was 22 years old, I decided I wanted to go travelling overseas with my friends and family. I was extremely nervous but it was something that I really wanted to do, and I didn’t want my allergies to hold me back from going.

So, I prepared as much as I could ahead of time to make sure I was ready for the trip.

I flew solo from Australia to Portugal – a 24-hour journey and my first time ever flying alone! I was apprehensive about the trip, especially about managing my food allergies on my own. However, I relied on everything my parents taught me: wiping down my seat, tray table, and surroundings, and only eating the safe food I packed myself.

One moment I was especially proud of was advocating for myself by asking the airline crew for boiling water so I could eat my instant noodles. I was nervous to ask the crew, especially since I was the girl who wouldn’t eat any of the plane food and was about to eat instant noodles. I thought it might seem strange, but I asked anyway and I’m so glad I did!

The trip didn’t stop there – I travelled across Europe, meeting friends and family along the way, and then flew home solo. I stayed safe the entire time with no allergic reactions. I cooked my own meals, packed food for day trips, and even navigated non-English speaking countries by checking ingredients on unfamiliar products and brands.

I saw everything I wanted to see, and even ate out a couple of times after carefully checking everything. It was a huge accomplishment, and I’m really proud of how I looked after myself. It showed me that with the right preparation and confidence, my allergies don’t have to limit what I can do or where I can go.